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Jackson Country Connection was started in 2008 as a labor of love when Bob and Andy Jackson, owners, were approached by a group of community members with the idea of creating a small pumpkin patch and corn maze business in LaPlata, Missouri.

Because both Bob and Andy had worked closely with local universities and were interested in agricultural education, they were a perfect fit for the project!

On their own farm, the Jacksons had raised a family and were now beginning to watch their grandchildren grow up... but a bit more removed from nature and agricultural identity. Bob and Andy also began to recognize there were increasingly fewer opportunities for kids (and many parents) to connect with local farms and food suppliers.

Thus, the idea of Jackson Country Connection was born, in part to reconnect families to the land and to each other.

Missouri Farmer Today, 10/01/15

From Missouri Farmer Today, here's a little piece about Bob and Andy! See the article, "Couple operates corn maze to entertain, educate" by reporter Ben Herrold to read all about Jackson Country Connection's "outdoor agricultural entertainment center."

KTVO News "Good Morning Heartland", 09/28/15

Kirksville Daily Express, 8/29/13

The following article by Jason Hunsicker appeared in the Kirksville Daily Express on Thursday, August 29th, 2013. For the full article and to see the photos included, please click the newspaper link at the bottom of the page.

A northeast Missouri fall tradition will make its return Sept. 7 after a one-year, drought-driven hiatus, offering a chance for visitors of all ages to conquer a massive corn maze while learning something about agriculture.

Jackson Country Connection will open its corn maze to the public Sept. 7 and in conjunction with a pumpkin patch, corn cannon, country store with crafts and other local items, and more provides the region with a unique agritourism experience.

Bob and Andy Jackson opened the Connection in 2008 after multiple requests from groups in La Plata and Kirksville who wanted someone to develop a new local tourism-activity opportunity. The couple saw it as a chance for local residents to connect with farms while creating memories.

"Our mission was always agriculture education, sharing the concept of production of food, fiber and fuel with whoever we could talk with," Andy Jackson said. "We were extending that and teasing individuals to come and have a dialogue with us and have a little fun."

It's worked. The Connection has boasted increasing attendance numbers each year since its opening, with the exception of last year when the drought that devastated the area prevented the giant corn maze from opening. Local elementary and middle school classes, groups like FFA and FBLA, businesses and more regularly visit the property.

They also enjoy having groups from Truman State and A.T. Still University.

"Some of the students come from an urban background and understand they are going to the country, but don't have a total understanding of the agriculture picture and dynamics that come with that," Jackson said. "We enjoy the dialogue with them, not just our story but their story, their lives and experiences."

This year the maze returns in a theme of "Celebrate the Red, White and Blue," featuring paths that, from above, form an American flag and eagle grasping arrows and an olive branch in its talons.

Jackson said each year she and Bob gather their "focus group" of grandchildren and friends to discuss what the maze should be. They work with Rob Stouffer of Precision Mazes on the concept, and Stouffer designs and creates the maze in the seven-acre corn field. The physical labor takes about four hours, Jackson said.

While the maze will pay tribute to the United States in its design, it will also remind visitors of the country's history through various information posts and questions that will help lead the way to the finish.

"It's not just about getting out of the maze," Jackson said. "There are signs and things that can lead you along and cause you to think and review your history."

Jackson also touted the corn cannon, which uses ears of corn she said are "precision cut" to be aerodynamic and shot from a compressed-air cannon to strike targets in a nearby field.

Jackson said it takes a lot of work to get things prepared, and not just from she and Bob, but neighbors and local students. She hopes visitors get a sense of those efforts and their farm-life values.

Jackson Country Connection's 2013 season runs from Sept. 7 through Nov. 2. It is open to the public on weekends (Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday, noon - 6 p.m.) and by appointment for groups during the weekdays and weekends. The property is located at 28496 Nature Lane in La Plata, Mo.